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Cumberland council approves Flock Safety camera contract, outlines 30‑day data retention
Summary
The Town Council approved a contract with Flock Safety to install license‑plate‑reading cameras (initial cost not to exceed $40,000; $36,000 annually) and adopted a draft policy. Chief Benson said cameras are aimed at roadways and vendor data are purged after 30 days; the vote was 7–0.
Council President and the Cumberland Town Council on Sept. 18 approved resolution 24‑83 authorizing the mayor to enter a contract with Flock Safety for an initial amount not to exceed $40,000 and annual recurring costs of $36,000.
Chief Benson, who presented the draft policy and contract language to the council, said the town modeled the policy on Cranston’s safeguards and adjusted titles and ranks to fit local organization. "The cameras are aimed directly downward from an elevated position to the roadway," Benson said, adding they are positioned to capture the rear of vehicles only. He told councilors the vendor’s standard practice is to purge stored data at the 30‑day mark.
Benson described the contract term as two years and said the higher first‑year cost reflects an initial installation fee. Councilors asked whether images could capture private property and whether a court order could be used to access footage; Benson said he could not easily identify a scenario where a court order would be needed but acknowledged the provision likely appears to cover exceptional investigatory needs.
Multiple councilors raised privacy and retention questions; Benson said 30 days is the industry norm among regional agencies using the vendor and said that window balances investigatory needs with privacy concerns. The ordinance subcommittee had previously vetted the policy language, he said.
The council voted 7–0 to approve the resolution after a motion by Councillor Shaw and a second by Councillor McGill. The resolution authorizes the mayor to execute the contract and adopts the presented policy language.
What’s next: The contract will be executed by the mayor and implementation steps (site placement, coordination with police and vendor configuration) will follow under the police department’s direction.
